Fed #14
Let’s clear up some confusion
Democracy – people meet and exercise gov in person
Can be done in a small area
Republic – Representatives meet and exercise gov
Can be done over a wide area
Republics are what we are talking about with this government
It’s what Europe has done as well
We can do a Republic fine because
Europe is not too large for Republics to function
The federal government is not the only law making body
Communications and roads will improve
States on the borders (farthest from the center) need a strong federal gov
Our opponents say that:
Americans are too disunited to be under one gov.
Reply #1
That this type of gov has not been done before and so is impossible
Reply #2
Fed#15
I know this may be boring but
Option #3
Why we need a new government:
We are near impending anarchy, nationally humiliated
“We have neither troops, nor treasury, nor government”
Commerce is falling apart
Our ambassadors are jokes
The value of land is falling indicating a lack of faith in government
Our opponents want to do the impossible: expand federal power while maintaining state power
States and individuals can now ignore federal directives
We are in danger of becoming like the bickering nations of Europe making deals with each other and breaking them just as quickly
The federal government must have authority over individuals
Laws need to be enforced either by the courts
Otherwise they need to be enforced by arms
Our opponents have said that a sense of common interest will keep such breaches from occurring
But the passions of men will not conform to reason and justice
Factions will help corrupt those passions in deliberative bodies
Plus people want power and won’t voluntarily yield it
Local gov may be ignorant of larger gov. goals and aspirations
If this continues the states will eventually leave the union “till the frail and tottering edifice seems ready to fall upon our heads and to crush us beneath its ruins.”
Federalists (good government and good citizens)
The government should be complicated as a means of pitting factions and interests against each other (state v federal, branches against each other, house v senate)
The government should be complicated and works fine when people pursue their own self interests
We are citizens of both the national and state governments
A good citizen is self interested but will concern himself with the public good out of self interest (to either get his way with the polity or because his interests just happen to coincide) This works so long as these ambitions are within the correct structure
The interests of rich and poor will clash within the system and that will help give it vitality
Government should be dynamic
Federalists (energy in government)
Energy in government is liberty and will allow for grand things
Federalists (on bill of rights)
The government has not been given the power to violate your rights so there in no reason for a bill of rights
Words cannot communicate the meaning of our natural rights
Often rights are so vague that they can be interpreted away ("what does freedom of speech really mean?")
A bill of rights actually enhances the power of government ("The gov. can't do A, B, or C so that means they can do D, E, and F")
The people can take back their authority at any minute and so the mechanisms of popular representation themselves guarantee that rights will not be violated